RFK Jr. will likely remain on ballot in key swing states despite suspending campaign

Robert F. Kennedy Jr. will likely still appear on the ballot in some key swing states even though he suspended his independent bid for the presidency last week.

According to officials, RFK Jr. will be on the ballot in Michigan, Wisconsin, and Nevada because he did not withdraw his name in time.

'He wants to leave to go support the two party system, (and that) goes against the very reason he was our candidate to begin with.'

RFK Jr. was slated to be the nominee for the Natural Law Party in Michigan. Since the party already nominated him and the primary has closed, he cannot remove his name from consideration, Axios reported.

"Minor party candidates cannot withdraw, so his name will remain on the ballot in the November election," said Cheri Hardmon, senior press secretary for Democratic Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson.

"The Natural Law Party held their convention to select electors for [RFK Jr.]. They cannot meet at this point to select new electors since it's past the primary."

Natural Law Party chair Doug Dern is frustrated with Kennedy, claiming he helped raised the profile of the party but will now likely sink its prospects in the future.

"The (Natural Law Party) has been under the radar for decades, and (Kennedy) has brought us national attention," Dern told Bridge Michigan in an email.

"He wants to leave to go support the two party system, (and that) goes against the very reason he was our candidate to begin with. If he comes off it weakens our chances to maintain ballot access."

According to state law, Kennedy will need to earn at least 24,679 in this year's election to permit the Natural Law Party to appear on the ballot in Michigan in future elections, Bridge Michigan claimed. After endorsing former President Donald Trump, a Republican, for president this year, Kennedy may not reach that threshold.

The Wisconsin Elections Commission has reached a similar conclusion.

Last Friday, the day he suspended his campaign, RFK Jr. requested that his name be removed from the Wisconsin ballot. However, the WEC voted 5-1 on Tuesday to refuse the request, claiming that candidates may not decline nomination after filing to appear on the ballot, WKOW reported.

Republican Robert Spindell, the WEC vice chair, cast the lone dissenting vote.

Some on the WEC expressed misgivings about including RFK Jr. on the ballot and introduced a motion to keep him off, but that motion was defeated 3-3. Green Party candidate Jill Stein will remain on the ballot as well.

RFK Jr. will also likely appear on the ballot in Nevada, where state law requires candidates to withdraw their names from the ballot within seven business days of the filing deadline, the Nevada Independent reported. To comply with that statute, RFK Jr. would have had to withdraw his name by August 20, three days before he suspended his campaign.

The Nevada Independent and Bridge Michigan noted that a lawsuit could still force or allow their respective states to remove Kennedy's name.

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